


The Darkest Parts of Space.

by TheAngryOne



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Alien Biology, Mpreg, Prisoner Red, RaPr, Sick Red, Slave Trade, alien eggs, i guess, morbid fic, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-02-18 07:14:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21540454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAngryOne/pseuds/TheAngryOne
Summary: Ill with an unknown ailment Red is forced to visit an alien Medical centre. But this particular place turns out to be a favourite picking ground for slave traders who prey on the sick and injured- and an Irken Almighty Tallest would be the sale of a century. Red finds himself imprisoned and sick, a terrible future promised to him..
Relationships: Almighty Tallest Purple/Almighty Tallest Red
Comments: 13
Kudos: 80





	1. The prize.

**Author's Note:**

> I was originally super hesitant about sharing this fic because I was exploring a bunch of things at once, but i'm actually really enjoying where it's going (mainly because I love picking on Red, I'm terrible).

You had to be truly terrible to launch an attack on a medical centre.

To these terrible people it was a fruitful picking ground. A variety of different species gathered here, sick, injured, and easy to capture. They’d sell for a high price to the right buyer- with a little patience while they recovered. Unless, they were too sick, then all it would cost is a single bullet.

Skragg stood amongst the smouldering rubble, scanning the destroyed building for signs of life. Their weapons were designed for structural damage, caving in walls and ceilings like they were built from straw. The initial impact had knocked out the power, leaving the medical centre on emergency lighting. The following strikes had collapsed the building and trapped anyone within the walls. Now it was just a matter of finding who lived. 

The crew picked through chunks of building material, lifting furniture and medical equipment to examine what laid beneath. Skragg was well practiced at this, he went straight to what he knew to be patient rooms. The one place you were guaranteed to find a body, often semi-healthy or recovering- certainly in a better state than those in the middle of surgery. A few of his underlings were prodding around the admin desks, shackling some skinny looking creatures they’d found unconscious there. 

He walked into a recovery room, the space was buried in debris and poorly lit. His thick claws wrenched a medical display from the bed. A rounded, furry form protruded from the sheets, half-closed eyes stared unfocused ahead. A big bloodied shard of glass wedged between them.

Skragg looked at the display in his hands- a chunk was missing from the middle, cut in the same distinct shape. He dropped the screen with a groan.

The noise was followed by ragged panting and quick footsteps, one of his underlings stumbled through the doorway, wide-eyed with frenzy.

“Boss!” She already had his attention with the dramatic entrance. Tirrok was known for her eccentrics, but she was more of the gun-toting type than the wildly excited. This must be good.

“What is it?”

A grin split her furry face. “ _ Irkens.” _

He gaped.

Irkens?  _ Here? _

That race was infamous for their lack of interest in the medical field. Their own medics and doctors were few, and they  _ certainly _ didn’t seek outside help. Why would they be anywhere near a medical centre?

He barged past Tirrok, following the direction she’d appeared from. A few from the crew had beaten him to his goal and were gathered around, standing within a large examination room. This was a private room, reserved for very few- and requested only by the respected or the feared.

The doctors that had been present were all dead, crushed by rubble or impaled by sharp things that had gone astray. For most of the Irkens, the story was the same. Several guards lay dead across the room, their bodies or Paks broken beyond repair- but one had been quick enough to avoid most of it.

_ Most _ .

Skragg wandered to the middle of the room with disbelief, eyes studying the unconscious form at his feet. It couldn’t be… The intricate red armor, the symbol on the Pak, the sheer  _ size _ …

“Get chains on that one!” He barked. The lackeys around him all snapped to attention, having been mesmerised by their find as much as he was. Tirrok licked her lips as she knelt above the Irken.

“Reckon he’ll fetch a high price?”

“Oh yeah.” Skragg smirked. “He’s one of their  _ Tallest _ .”

\--

Vibrations rocked the room, humming through the walls. The soothing, familiar feeling of a ship in flight- but he hadn’t _been_ aboard a ship. 

Red sat upright quickly, regretting it as pain erupted across his body- he groaned and hunched again. He brought his claws to his forehead, and found his other hand following the first. Shackles bound his gauntlets together.

An interlocking rope of chains and cables ran from the constraints on his wrists, attaching to the wall he laid against. He pulled hard against it- the chains rattled loudly and went taut, showing no signs of giving up as he thrashed against them, attempting to get his claws free.

He put his weight against the chain, trying to pull his thin claws through the metal around his wrists. As the pinching sensation became pain and pink blood began to trickle off his hands, he let out an angry cry and collapsed against the metal wall.

It took all his energy to battle the constraints- and he had very little of that to spare. Sweat stained his skin, his breath ragged and hoarse and his body feverish. He was sick  _ and _ trapped.

Claws clenched against his armor. _And_ _so very mad_.

Irkens don’t get sick. Illness doesn’t exist in their race, common afflictions had been engineered out. More serious ones were vaccinated against. The dire ones… Were few. And the sick Irken would  _ promptly _ be ended as it was a waste of resources to fix them.

Unless it happened to be the Almighty Tallest who’d collapsed in the Massives control room, barely caught by his co-ruler. He’d been feeling off for days at that stage and it escalated suddenly, so much that his Pak couldn’t keep him upright. 

The fever had come first, followed by nausea and pain. His fatigue gave way to anger when his co-ruler fussed over him. 

They’d requested the most skilled medical drones, but they were clueless.

It’d been his mates insistence that sent him to Planet Carvass, renowned for their medical facilities- and also one of the few that even considered having Irkens present.

He’d barely even spoken to the doctors before the attack hit.

A groan from nearby prompted Red to finally assess the room. He wasn’t alone- there were five, maybe six other locked in the belly of the ship with him. It seemed he was the first to wake, followed by the creature closest to him who was groggily sitting up.

Ignoring it, he scanned the interior. It was a cargo hold of some sort- long and narrow. It was clearly designed for moving prisoners. Limp shackles dotted the walls every few metres, around each of them was a square of inactive laser heads that would function as cell-bars when turned on. It was dark, and harrowingly cold.

Light burst from a now-open door, Red shielded his eyes with his claws- Irken eyes handled low light well, but it caused brightness to sting until they adjusted. Three silhouettes stepped through the door and it promptly closed again.

Two huge, furred creatures stepped forwards. They were dressed as guards, with spiked armor jutting off their shoulders, clutching long batons with glowing circuits at their tips. Between them stood a much smaller, fluffy creature with long limp ears and tiny triangular horns. Her beady eyes fixed on Red, and she twitched her rabbit-like nose.

“That one’s awake.”

Clearly this was a well-practiced routine. The guards were immediately at his side, one undoing the latch on the wall with a loud clak. The other wrenched Red to his feet, with little regard to the Tallests state. Red hissed in a mix of anger and pain- he was accustomed to  _ all _ beings falling over themselves to please him, these lesser beings weren’t giving him the respect he deserved. 

So he would  _ demand _ it.

It was a quick moment. The guards had met all sorts of resistance in their years at this job, from battle-hardened soldiers to weeping mothers, deft assassins to swift-tongued merchants. An  _ Irken _ , however, was hard to predict. It was the sudden burst of blood that caused them to realise they’d underestimated the bug. 

The guard gurgled out a cry, hand pressing to his throat as vital liquid flowed concerningly quickly from the slit artery. He fell to his knees as the rabbit-like creature rushed to him, pulling objects from specially-made pockets on her belt.

Reds segmented tongue flicked along his claws. It’d been a terribly long time since he’d used his claws to kill anything more than a drone. He did miss it.

The cargo bay illuminated with light blue light as electricity lit the space- sparking from the baton in the remaining guards baton, it bounced along the spiked Irken armor and through his body, muscles contracting painfully and Pak overloading- with a cry of pain, Red collapsed. He barely caught himself before he hit the ground, claws pressed into the metal floor as he gasped for breath, suddenly aware once more of the sickness he was afflicted with.

Fatigue rising again, he watched the guard struggling under the small creatures care. She cracked a small rectangular parcel like a glowstick, tiny taps and crackles emitting from the blue substance within. She pressed the now-illuminated parcel against the guards overflowing wound and it morphed into it, sealing the cut- to Reds dismay.

After a few seconds of being fussed over, the bulky guard stood and rolled his shoulders. He shooed the rabbit away with his hands and delivered a swift kick to the Irkens ribs before dragging him to his feet again. 

They were more cautious this time. Keeping the sinister claws bound tightly where they could block any other precise attacks. They journeyed through corridors of the ship at a pace unforgiving for Red; though he was managing well enough to hide his state, he felt exhausted and was struggling to keep his breathing even. It seemed that all the moisture that was meant to be in his mouth had moved instead to stain his feverish skin, and he was desperate to just lay down and sleep somewhere. Ideally, fitted into his place against his mates body.

No such respite was offered when they reached their destination. They’d come to a stop within a large, sterile chamber. Bright screens adorned the walls, blinding lights shone from the ceiling like an array of suns- and beneath them, in the middle of the room, was a steel table.

A  _ clinical _ room. Red scowled.

The small fluffy creature at the head of the group turned on her heels, looking the Irken up and down. She circled him like a predator, arms tucked neatly behind her back as she hummed to herself.

“What are your symptoms?”

Her voice barked with impatience. Red bristled;  _ no one _ commands an Almighty Tallest. Well, Purple was the exception. No one but  _ him _ may command Red. 

“Well? You’re sick, aren’t you?” The attitude stuck to her words.

“Irkens don’t  _ get _ sick.”   
“Then what were you doing on Carvass?” One of her stubby paws extended ahead of her, the claw aiming to prod the Irken testingly- he stepped away before it connected. “I  _ know _ you weren’t there visiting a loved one,  _ Irken. _ I also know that your race is  _ green _ while you seem to look more like a stick of  _ celery _ , you’re pale enough to be an Irken ghost.”

Was that true? He frowned; he hadn’t been able to inspect himself, with his claws the only thing visible to him from outside his armor. And they were not much of an indication.

“Now.” She continued. “Are you going to drop the scary soldier act, so we can get on with treatment, or do I give the word now and we call you incurable and the guards shoot you dead?”

The keen excitement from the two guards was palpable. Considering his options carefully, he was quick to agree that was  _ not _ how his legacy was to end.

Though the right word failed to come to mind. Was he sick? Not possible, Irken engineering assured that he wasn’t addled by something as simple as a cold. Was something wrong?  _ Nothing _ was  _ wrong _ with an Almighty Tallest, even feeling… Unusual, he was still a prime example of Irken greatness. Did he need  _ help? _

He grit his teeth.

“Fine. I need treatment.”

Puffy cheeks morphed into a satisfied smile. Bored, a little wicked- very smug. But satisfied as they could finally progress. The medic repeated. “What are your symptoms?”

“I don’t know.” It was true, not  _ knowing  _ illness meant he didn’t quite know how to explain it… “But something’s wrong.”   
Turns out, this wasn’t going to progress quite as quickly as she’d hoped. “You have to tell me what’s wrong. That’s how this works.”

“Why would I tell you  _ anything,  _ furball?”

“Because I’m your doctor now, and i’m the one you’re  _ meant _ to tell this stuff to.”

“No, you’re one of my captors. And I don’t like that.”

“ _ Actually _ . I am just a doctor.” She held her furry hand in front of her in a welcoming gesture. Red glared at the soft paw-pads with distrust. “My name’s Apple. There, now we’re on speaking terms.”

The gesture was ignored. Apple waited patiently for him to return the handshake, before finally huffing and turning away when he didn’t. She pointed to the examination table, and thick claws coiled themselves around Reds shoulders and he was kindly nudged towards it.

He hit the metal so hard that his armor clacked against it. 

Hissing in pain as his hands were unbound long enough to be chained to the table instead. Apple busied herself with the screen of a tablet, tapping buttons idly. Machines whirred to life on the ceiling, buzzing noises and whirring fans drowning out the hum of the bright lights above. 

“Go away.” Apple sing-songed sweetly, eyes still glued to the tablet in her hands. The guards exchanged an angry look and sulked away, exiting the same way they had entered.

With what little energy he had left, Red pulled against his constraints. Thick slabs of circular metal kept his wrists pinned to the bench beneath him.

“Stop squirming- I can’t get a good scan.”

The command just motivated him to fight harder. Apple glared over her tablet.

“I  _ can _ and  _ will  _ restrain you further if that’s  _ not _ tight enough.”

He stopped only to catch his laboured breath. Not because she told him to. He clenched his teeth loosely in frustration, pinching the tip of his tongue between them in an annoyed face he made out of habit- usually in Purples direction- and he glared at the furry critter. 

She rolled her eyes.

“You know, all that armor you’ve got on is  _ really _ messing with my instruments. It’s taking a long time to get a clear picture.”

Good, he thought. And just to frustrate her more he thrashed against his chains again- and was promptly stilled, with a startled cry, as neon bands shot across his shoulders, hips and legs and tightened to crushing.

Apple released the pressure she held against a button on the table, smiling contently to herself.

_ “Much _ better.”

She paced around him, humming as her fingers scrolled through information on the tablet. Red tested the new constraints angrily- he could do no more than scrape his claws and wiggle beneath the bindings. That had taken the little bit of fun there was out of this situation.

“Well, I can say with full confidence that you Irkens are  _ weird.  _ What few organs you  _ do _ have all seem to be in functioning order.”

She lowered the tablet enough to give him a queer look. “Question, though. It may seem dumb, and if I offend you I fully intend it- Are you male or female?”

“ _ What? _ ”

“Well it’s just that I  _ thought _ you were male but your anatomy has me seriously doubting that, I can’t…” She tilted the tablet in her hands, her head pivoting the opposite way. “... Really make sense of  _ any _ of this.”

Stupid inferior creatures. “ _ Neither.  _ Well, both- Irkens are both. We don’t have genders like you inferior things and your stupid  _ biology _ . Gender is just cosmetic.”   
“Ah.” Was the only response. As though she’d just heard a weather forecast. “Well, that explains it. Congratulations, you’re a… Pregnant.”   
It was Reds turn to give the confused stare. He’d heard that term before, raking his brain for any meaning… He vaguely associated it with a conversation with Vortians, but couldn’t remember the context… “... What?”

She was genuinely surprised by his confusion, had he misheard? Misunderstood? “You know? Pregnant? Bun in the oven? Expecting? With child?”

The expression became a confused pout, Apple rubbed a hand along her long ears-  _ how  _ could she explain this to the tall idiot?

“What are Irken young called?”

Red considered the question, modern Irkens don’t  _ have _ young, the closest thing would be- “Smeets.”

“You’ve got smeets growing inside of you.”

“ _ What?!” _ The shackles creaked as Red strained against them, crimson eyes wide. Smeets? In his  _ body _ ? “How?!”

Apple froze, she’d never expected to have to explain this to a militant warlord.

“Do you have a mate?”

She began to feel for said warlord, the panic was evident on his startled face. Red had pieced together the rest on his own- it wasn’t  _ possible.  _ Sure, he and his mate had learned a  _ long _ time ago that the taboo act they’d dabbled in was a great way to spend an afternoon, but it didn’t make sense… It couldn’t.

“Yes, but- Irkens are infertile. We have been for  _ centuries. _ ”

“Well, congratulations. You’re the exception.”

Red let his head drop back against the bench. He  _ hoped _ she’d misread the information. There was no way- this stupid little rabbit had no idea about Irken anatomy, surely she’d misread it. He hoped she had. He hoped it was  _ anything  _ else, something he’d eaten disagreeing, or some sort of space parasite, just not…

“Smeets.” He croaked, barely audible. The feeling had disappeared from his claws- his arms and legs feeling heavy and a sudden awareness came to his pelvic area. It felt  _ very _ unpleasant. His body had betrayed him.

“Yupp.” Apple chimed, she turned the screen so he could see- though he was hesitant to look. “See here?”

He squinted at the image beneath her paws. To him, it was unreadable. A mess of light and dark shapes, little splotches dropped amongst larger patches. He could vaguely recognise a  _ tiny  _ pale spot, assuming that was what she referred to.

“That’s them, I know it’s a bit hard to see- they’re still young.”   
“ _ Them?”  _ His voice cracked without his intent- his fear showing through. He cleared his throat before he continued. “How many is  _ them? _ ”

“Looks like a whole litter. No wonder you’ve been feeling awful- that’d take a lot out of you. Plus, if your race is rusty at the whole thing it’s probably worse… And whatever this is won’t be helping.” She rasped her paws against his corset, he winced as the taps made him ache. “Say, I thought Irkens had  _ eggs _ ?”

His antenna perked. “I… Thought we did too.”

“Yeeeaah, I remember there being a legend about Irken eggs- people used to go mad for them.”   
“They did?”

Apple nodded in confirmation. “I’ve heard people telling me stories of old times, like  _ early _ space explorers going on epic adventures to fight their way through Irken armies, to steal their eggs because they- err..”

She hesitated. 

“...They’re one of the  _ tastiest _ things in the galaxy.”

He had to admit. That was ironic.

“Let’s keep this between us.” She tapped a button on the console beside Reds head, the cables across his body went slack and retracted. “I won’t add it to the file. We don’t anyone  _ here _ finding out there could be legendary Irken eggs inside you.”

He shuddered. 

“Why? You _ work _ for these idiots. If they’re  _ legendary _ then they’d fetch a lot of monies and you’d get a cut, right?”

“Not exactly. I worked at a medical centre on the galactic space station Ab-tang-x-nine, when the crawlers hit there they captured me. I’m a long-term prisoner. Doctors have a lot of value, but not in monies. I mean, when your whole business is built on snatching up sick guys- how much monies are you going to make if your sick guys all  _ die?” _

“True.” 

The larger shackles popped open. Red rubbed his wrists as he sat up. Once the claws had feeling again, he placed them gingerly on his stomach.  _ Smeets _ . Or eggs, whatever it was- it was  _ inside _ his body, and he’d been ignorant this entire time. 

His antenna drooped as realisation dawned.

“My mate doesn’t know…”

As stubborn and  _ annoying  _ as she found this creature, she had to sympathise. “Chances are they won’t  _ ever _ know, either. The Crawlers will try and sell you off to someone, and if you’re due before that happens- I can’t even say what’d happen to your offspring.”

She placed her paw over his hand and squeezed. It was all she could offer for comfort- despite knowing that Irken abhorred touch. “I’m changing your rations on your file, and i’ll prescribe a few things to take the edge off. I’m putting a little instruction in your file to get the guards to back off because I  _ know _ they want to beat the hell out of you, and that’s not ideal for growing babies.”

His claws flicked her hand away and he scowled. All of this nonsense- the weeks of misery, his life endangered, stolen from his home- all for the sake of the  _ parasites  _ that’d taken up residence in him.

“I hate all of this!” 

Apple straightened, clasping her hands behind her back once more. The door they had entered through opened once more.

“The guards will escort you back.”


	2. The problems.

The guards had ignored the instruction. It seemed that the injured one hadn’t appreciated having his throat slit- and made it clear with a few blows after Red had been returned to the space he’d woken in.

Now aching from sickness and a beating, Red lay on his side with his back to the wall. The chains leading from his shackled wrists draped across his chest, and clinked quietly as he ran his claws in small motions across his stomach.

The creature to his left was grating on his nerves. She whimpered and sobbed, having been assaulted by the guards for more primal reasons- and she was noisily distracting Red from his own thoughts. Not that he  _ wanted _ to be giving his situation any more thought. She was just annoying to him. So long as their captors kept their focus away from him, he didn’t care.

As the cargo door opened again, and Red felt a hint of anxiety bubble inside him- he was no coward, but he didn’t particularly like being beaten into an inch of his life by inferior guards.

Skraggs heavy form lumbered into the room, he passed each prisoner with brief inspection. Lingering occasionally to meet glares with a smug smirk, or eat in the sight of something particularly attractive. He slowed as he approached the end of the cargo hold; where the most prized trophies were kept. Stopping in front of a hissing, scaled creature, he read the screen in his hands lazily.

“Kraxi,  _ good. _ You know you guys are hard to get.”

Thick claws shot forwards and hooked around the lizard-like prisoners tail. “Damage to your tail, eh? Lost a few barbs. That’ll bring your value down…”

Frills extended outwards like a rattling fan- the lizard hissed furiously. To its dismay, Skragg only smiled wider.    
“Feisty, good. You Kraxi always sell well to the Arena types.”

He continued down the lineup. The sobbing, furry creature recoiled as he drew near. She retreated as far as the chains would let her. Being uncurled from her ball now, Red finally had enough of a look to realise she was the same species as Apple- a furry, rabbit like creature with stubby horns. 

Skragg grabbed her by one long ear, the soft appendage squeezed too tightly in his claws. “Oh  _ yeah!  _ I always love seeing Bambaras- you guys are  _ so _ soft.”

She whimpered pitifully as he caressed the trapped fur. “ _ Great _ fuck too, wonder what you’ll end up selling for? Fur factory? Or do you think you’ll be  _ on  _ the bed without being made into a blanket first?”

She shrieked as he threw her aside. 

Red watched with a dark glare as Skragg continued. The lumbering, boxy creature took slow and deliberate steps as he locked eyes with his target. Smirking with no attempt at hiding his glee, he stopped to leer over his prisoner.

“ _ Irken.” _

The glare did not waver.

“You know, I’ve caught and sold  _ all _ sorts of races, but never an Irken before. I don’t even  _ know  _ what you’ll sell like-”

Suddenly there were claws clenching Reds jaw and he was thrust backwards, hitting the wall with a crash.   
“Apple left a lot of info out of your file. She told me with some persuasion.” Skraggs split, green tongue shot out to lick greedily over his lips. “I expect you’d sell well in an Arena, or even a collector- but I think I might get a higher price for your  _ gender _ situation.”

The claws squeezed harder. Anger quickly flooded through Red- how dare this creature…

“And what you  _ produce _ , too. You’re quite a prize, you know?”

Quicker than Skraggs motion, Red wrenched free and sunk his jagged teeth into the offending hand barely centimetres from his face. The coppery, salty flavour of alien blood gushed into his mouth and Skragg let out a foul screech, pulling his hand away in such a panic that he was left with long, grizzly cuts.

“Leerol!” He screamed at a guard at the door, holding his bloody hand tightly. “Get a muzzle on this one! We got a biter!”

Skragg stormed away with a frustrated cry. Red watching him like a predator as he left- the moment he passed through the door the Irkens strong resolve dropped. His antenna drooped and he meekly rubbed the blood from his face. It’d taken all his strength just to sit up, the rest of the ordeal spent energy he didn’t have. He slid down the wall once more to lay on his side, vaguely aware of guards gathering around him.

\--

He woke in pain.

Claws grasped desperately at his stomach as Red curled around himself- trying to squeeze tight enough to force the pain away. He gasped breathily, one hand moving to paw at the contraption across his mouth- a foul tasting, metal panel that barely gave him room to take in air, let alone speak or  _ bite.  _ A muzzle. How demeaning. 

His awareness shifted quickly back to the pain further down. It was an awful sensation, making his skin prick with a cold fever and knocking the air out of him as he tried hard to find some way to sit comfortably enough to alleviate the agony. 

_ Damn these paratsites. _

There was an unpleasant, sticky wetness on his leggings. He shifted his skirt, suddenly feeling exposed by the unusual spectacle his body was putting on for him. 

It seemed like an eternity he lay their suffering. Eventually the quivering in his shoulders and his laboured breath was noticed by a passing guard, and he was disturbed by leather paw-pads touching his face.

Opening his eyes he was greeted by Apples chubby face, staring down at him with disinterest as she prodded his skin. Noticing him notice her, she moved her hands to his shoulders and nudged him in a request for him to uncurl.

He didn’t so much comply as simply fall backwards, hissing as his stiff body refused to move without a fight. The stubby paws moved pointedly down his body, testing everything they touched, as they moved downwards enough to press against his stomach he flinched and trapped the assaulting hand within his claws in warning.

Apple raised a brow.

“You two-” She gestured to the guards milling around the cowering Bambara. “-Get this one to the examination room.”

He was escorted through the same corridors to the same, uncomfortable room. They went through the same ordeal, and he was chained to the same table. Apple tutted and paced around with tablet in hand, letting her machines work above him so she could evaluate his health.

Red had a pretty good idea- he felt  _ awful _ . He hadn’t bothered to fight against the guards this time, lacking the energy to do anything more than walk. He closed his eyes and got lost in the quiet ambient hum of the room, enjoying the sensation of the cool, metal table against his sweat-slicked skin.

Apple dismissed the guards. She laid the tablet on a nearby counter and busied herself with undoing the shackles keeping the Irken prisoner. As the metal muzzle came loose, Red moved his jaw testingly.

“How do you feel?”

He shot her a dark glare.

“Right. Dumb question. Look, I’ve got news- good or bad, depending on your views. I believe you’ve, er,  _ lost _ some of the litter.”

“Lost?”

“Some have  _ died,  _ Irken. I’m honestly not surprised… Your race isn’t meant to get pregnant at  _ all _ , I wouldn’t expect you to be able to cope with all of them.”

Died? His claws tentatively hovered over his belly. Not even a few hours before he was cursing this phenomenon for his poor state and situation, but  _ now _ … He felt like he’d  _ lost.  _ He grit his teeth- first his body had betrayed him by letting  _ this _ happen, now it had failed him by giving up.

“What happens now?”

The Bambara blinked, a surprised look stuck across her face. She’d expected something a bit more… Passionate from him. “Well, er, your body is processing the ones you’ve lost. There’s still some kicking- three, I counted.”    
Her paw reached out to take his thin fingers, squeezing in a comforting gesture. “Look- it’s okay to be scared or worried or  _ anything  _ you might be about this, it’s not a great situation all round. For you or for  _ them _ . I’ll do as much as I can to make sure they’re okay.”   
“Well  _ don’t.”  _ He snapped, flicking her hand loose from his. “I’m not scared or worried or  _ anything  _ pathetic like that. I’m  _ mad. _ This shouldn’t have happened, I never  _ wanted  _ it to happen. Don’t help these  _ parasites.” _

Apple sighed.

“You know my race is  _ big  _ on family and it really hurts to hear you say something like that. But I get it. You’re  _ scared _ . I  _ would _ like to leave you alone, I was going to offer you a solution- until Skragg… Well, he  _ asked a lot  _ of questions _.  _ And he wants me to make sure this all goes flawlessly.”

Holding her hand out in an offer for help, she urged the Irken to stand. He ignored it until his head spun from the movement, and he was forced to rely on her to stay upright as he was too dizzy to know where  _ up _ went.

“You probably gathered this but Skragg is an absolute dirtbag. He wants anything that comes out of you. So congrats, you get special treatment- now come with me.”

Begrudgingly he complied. There was nowhere else for him to go, after all. Any attempts at fleeing would quickly be stopped in his current state. He stayed close to the wall so he could steady himself against it at a moments notice, his head spinning like a pinwheel every time he moved too fast. The ever-faithful Pak he wore was trying its hardest to keep his body comfortable but its good intentions did the opposite, as it flooded him with enough pain suppressants to make him groggy.

They arrived in a warm, dimly lit room. It was almost comfortable, having the basic comforts. A flat mattress tucked in an alcove on the left wall, seeming slightly more comfortable than the prison floor Red had been sleeping on earlier. Medical screens and hardware dotted around the room, casting faint blue light across the space.

Apple dug around inside a tall cupboard, producing a little silken robe from storage. It was covered with patches and make-shift repairs, the shine had faded long ago and what was likely white was now an off cream color. She held it out for Red.

“Get changed, I’ll wash your clothes. If you’re anything like  _ normal _ species you’re probably not feeling all that comfortable in those pants anymore.”

She was right. Embarrassed, Red straightened a crease in his skirt.

He realised the rabbit was looking at him expectantly, still holding the garment for him to take. Did she expect him to change in  _ front  _ of her?

As if reading his thoughts, she rolled her eyes and spoke. “Come on, we haven’t got all day. Don’t go getting all shy on me  _ warlord _ . I’ve seen plenty of weird alien bits before. Get changed.”

He gaped. She couldn’t be serious! Irkens rarely showed skin to each other- she really expected him to  _ strip  _ before this foul stranger?

Though as he cast his gaze onto the neatly made sheets of the bed, he felt his outrage give way to exhaustion. The sooner she left…

With great disgust he shucked off his gauntlets and threw them aside, his shoulder pads following as he undid them and simply let them fall to the ground, followed by his skirt. He gently undid each segment of his corset, knowing from experience not to rush this step. He was left in his skin-tight black leotard, and the black heeled boots he so favoured, and found himself hesitating again.

“Can you turn around or  _ something _ . Stop watching me.”

Apple crossed her arms and tutted, smirking playfully. “Come on now, warlord, chances are I’m going to be around your  _ bits _ often if we’re going to continue our friendship like this. Rip the bandaid off now.”

“Irkens don’t even like to be seen naked by other Irkens. I hate all of this.”

“As you’ve made abundantly clear, many times. Pants off. Now.”

Hooking a claw under the collar of his tight clothes, he worked up the nerve to inch the garment down. He tried not to notice her gaze on his body as he removed the last of what he wore. Now butt-naked and terribly embarrassed by it, he snatched the robe from her hands.

“You’ve got a lot of scars.” Apple pointed absently, jabbing her finger against his hip. “I thought your fancy technology healed all scars, what’s the deal?”

He slapped her hand away and swaddled himself in the robe, hugging it closed tightly. It obviously belonged to  _ her  _ as it was both laughably wide and short, barely reaching his thighs. 

“They’re not  _ scars _ they’re  _ mating marks. _ We turn the feature off for that.”

“Your  _ mate _ did those?!” She exclaimed, hands against his skin again despite his offence to her tracing the thin scars on his exposed thighs. She pushed the robe up with no hesitation, the lines growing numerous across his hips and waist.

“ _ Yes _ and I’ve done worse to him. Now  _ get your hands off of me!” _

Letting him stomp away she watched in horror, trying to process his words. “You Irkens scratch up your mates?  _ Why?” _

“Because it’s  _ fun.”  _ He sat on the bed with a flourish, shrugging his shoulders. “You can go away now.”

She rolled her eyes and busied herself with organising what he’d thrown across the room, collecting anything washable. His crimson eyes watched her movements with little interest as he leaned against the wall, legs crossed on the bed. He tapped his claws idly on his knees.

“Also I gotta say- especially with the view I have  _ now _ -” she gestured pointedly at his open robe, and he angrily shifted his posture as a blush erupted across his face. “You do look distinctly  _ female _ . I’m really getting the feeling that you know nothing about sexual anatomy so are you  _ certain- _ ”

“ _ Yes.”  _ He growled. “Irkens are both. No, I’m not explaining  _ how.  _ But you can explain why you’re still here.”

Another eye roll and she shook her head, walking towards the door. “Go to sleep you skinny jerk. I’ll be back later with some clean clothes and some food. This room is still a prison, but you’ll be a bit more comfortable here.”

“Are you this nice to  _ all _ your prisoners?”

“Nope. Just the pregnant.. Mother? Father? With valuable babies that miscarry over a stiff breeze. Count yourself  _ lucky,  _ bug.  _ Real lucky.” _   
She stopped in the doorway to glance over her shoulder. “Expect a visit from Skragg at some point, guys got a nasty interest in you. Don’t do anything that will get you muzzled again, you might need your teeth if things get out of hand.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm nasty and I like to indulge

All that broke the low hum of this room was an occasional groan of metal. The old, cobbled together ship struggling as it putted through the stars, meeting turbulence in the form of small meteors and dust clouds.

Red was ignorant to all of it, having drifted to sleep a long time ago. It had taken him quite a while; Irkens did not need sleep, their beings long since evolved past it but in his current state… The act was a pleasant one, allowing his body to repair and rest at a quicker rate. Though it was the thoughts of his partner that kept him awake. That, and the mattress was barely better than the floor.

He could picture Purple aboard the Massive, storming angrily around the Control room and shouting at any Irken stupid enough to get close. He was no stranger to tantrums, evident by any time a snack-delivery had gone amiss. The loss of his mate, however, was no light strike. The discovery of a crate lost in their shared quarters would usually be enough to settle the Irken leaders tirade- but not this time.

Truly, Red could not see a way out of his current predicament. In his state he could not fight a way out, and while he was confident in the Empires fleet and the drones it encompassed, he genuinely believed that Skragg and these ‘ _ Crawlers _ ’ were crafty enough to evade confrontation. Even with Purple pressuring those beneath him to find his sorely missed co-ruler.

He slept for hours, failing to stir as the door opened. Even as the auto-lights adjusted from dim to bright at the sense of movement, Red remained undisturbed. Swaddled in a thin blanket, bunching it protectively in the claws tucked beneath his chin, he dozed deeply until a weight on the mattress jostled him awake.

Eyes stared down at him, barely inches from his face. Familiar, serpentine pupils which he desired to bury his claws deep into. Saliva dripped from a split green tongue and onto his skin.

“Morning, sweetheart.” 

Skragg jeered. Red realised abruptly that the weight had shifted to his own body, the lumbering foul creature was pinning him down! He hissed with sudden intensity and was quick to lash his claws out, with the intent of connecting with his assailants chest and leaving thin cuts there in an instant.

They never made contact, as thick yellowing hands caught his wrists with more speed than expected of a creature with his… Grace. He squeezed the Irken limbs in warning, promising that he would snap them with  _ little _ effort.

Not that Red cared, it would be quick for his Pak to heal.

One hand was enough to keep the thin hands constrained, try as he might Red lacked the strength to free them- he bared his teeth, reminding Skragg that he was more than willing to sink them into something fleshy once again. The bulky alien ignored the threat as he used his free hand to cast the blanket aside, fingers deftly plucking at the belt of the robe hiding the body beneath.

Red fought with a mix of fury and outrage- this damned creature! At every encounter this beast had only angered him, and no more than he had in this very moment. Damned if he allowed this creature to get his clothes off! 

But he could not free his wrists, lacking the strength to do more than pull futility against the grip- Skragg kept the others legs pinned, and he was too far to fall prey to Irken teeth.

As air met bare skin, Reds fight left him. 

His body still ached in every joint from his flu-like symptoms, his strength long since forfeited to the same ailment. What could he do, but lay still?

The claws of his enemy touched skin, connecting with his chest in interest. They prodded, not from lust- to Reds relief- but rather in fascination. The blunt tips grazed as they descended, feeling the ever-bruised skin where the corset would sit, and continued to trail over the mating marks adorning the hips. 

As they went lower again, Red snapped like an angry beast, he lunged forwards to sink his teeth into Skraggs exposed shoulder- but the movement was intercepted before he could and he was slammed down once more with such strength that he was dazed.

After waiting a moment to judge the Irkens next moves, and finding him suitably controlled, Skragg continued his ministrations. His serpentine eyes followed his claws as they went to a more delicate area, inspecting it with the same interest one would offer a great treasure.

Red felt absolutely mortified, exposed and with this  _ fiend  _ probing him in such a way- he finally grappled his own voice again, albeit feebly.

“What are you  _ doing? _ Get off of me.”

“Nah.” Skragg dismissed casually, eyes still focused on his task. “I wanted to know, ya know? See what the deal was.”

Great. So he was a treat for this creature, a little alien freakshow.

“Well you’ve  _ seen _ , now leave me alone.”

The serpentine gaze finally moved upwards to meet his, and Skragg smiled wide at him. “Still a bit of fight left in you, huh? Good. I like that.”

The split tongue darted out between his smirking lips, before there was a chance for his victim to react he ducked down, trailing the tip of the appendage from the base of Reds stomach and up to his chest- leaving a damp, sticky line that had the Irken squirming in disgust.

“I’d  _ love _ to try you myself, ya know. You look like you’d be  _ real fun _ .” With a forlorn sigh he rose from the bed. “But a prize like you has to reach the buyer intact. Better value that way. Well… As intact as you  _ are _ .”

Quick like lightning Red attacked. His thin claws raked through flesh and sinew like a blade through cream; where Skraggs chest was exposed, blood poured forth. Where it was armored he left deep, jagged gouges with a terrible screech. 

The assaulted creature was quick to react and clenched Reds jaw in his stubby hands, squeezing in promise of something terrible. The irken was undeterred and his own claws sank into the arm ahead, nails easily burying in through the skin until they hit bone. He ripped his hands outwards and pulled tendons and muscle with them in a brilliant burst of gore and accompanied with a horrible, pained scream from the large beast.

It was a shame he lumbered away so quickly, Red was eager to attack the eyes next; pulling those serpentine orbs from his skull would have been  _ very _ satisfying.

A battle played out across Skraggs face as he tried to decide between fleeing or beating this awful creature within an inch of its life; he silently weighed up just how much he valued his Irken prisoner. Obviously it was a high price, as he turned with an angry shout and stormed away, leaving a trail of dark blood in his path.

A sadistic, smug pride welled in Red and he smiled.

\--

“I warned you.”

Beady blue eyes traced the shapes of metal shackles, following the taught chains and shining clasps. Red could do no more than narrow his eyes into a glare, muzzle denying him the glee of saying something snarky back. Skragg may have  _ asked _ to be shredded like paper, but he did not appreciate it. The blood on Reds claws had barely dried before he was accosted by guards with the intent of slapping him in iron.

Apple circled him in her usual dance as she inspected him, tutting at the crimson stains on the short robe he was still dressed in. 

“Couldn’t help yourself,  _ could you _ ? You just had to scratch up the crazy slave trader?”

With a heavy, annoyed sigh she waved a tablet pointedly at him. “Wanna know what your file says now? That you’re  _ dangerous _ . I mean- you’re a really big Irken, we sort of already knew that. But  _ now  _ I’m not allowed to take those chains off. Even for a test.”

He pulled testingly on the chains binding his wrists. They barely gave him a few centimetres of distance, and the spiked rings adorning the outside bit into his skin every time he pulled too hard. 

“Which is  _ really _ annoying. Those chains mess with my instruments big time, I don’t know what metal they’re made from but it makes my life  _ really _ hard.”

_ You’ve got it hard? _ He wanted to growl back, but with the steel pressing tightly against his jaw he couldn’t manage the words.

“Whatever. I’m sure I can figure it out.”

He followed obediently as she gestured to the doorway, he was certainly angry enough to fight anyone at this present moment, he was just  _ unable _ to. Still feeling lethargic and with his claws so tightly bound, the idea of fighting anything was a tiring one.

It was no more than a checkup. Apple would update him with boredom in her voice, he would avoid listening until he was returned to his room. Skragg would appear again, every few nights, to harass him, and in the morning Apple would be there again. It became a repeating pattern and in his isolation he found himself losing track of the days he’d spent locked up, this cycle repeating. Apple would come again, leaving a meal he would not eat, say a few lines that teetered between insulting and reassuring, and leave only to return again a few hours later. 

“They’ve changed.” She commented idly one day, staring at the tablet in her hands while Red watched the same, familiar ceiling of the medical room. He didn’t register her turn the screen towards him until she tapped her furry knuckles on the tablet.

“Look.”

Splotchy, random patterns of black and grey adorned the screen. Having no real knowledge of anatomy- outside what was vital to stab- Red recognised little, except for the darker, round shapes.

“Eggs.” She hummed in acknowledgement. Reds only response was confusion. Barely days before the scan had shown  _ smeets _ .

_ How? _

“It’s not uncommon, some races are just wired to work a different way… Egg forms  _ around _ the fertile cells. I think it’s a resource thing, I mean- Why bother putting the energy into making an egg if it’s not going to come out fertilised?”

He shuddered, not bothering to hide the disgusted face he pulled at that thought.

“It also means most of the gestation happens  _ outside _ the parents body. You’ve said it yourself many times that Irkens don’t really  _ bother _ with young, so…”

_ It makes sense _ . He finished for her, defeat in the thought. It  _ did- _ Ancient Irkens were known to just abandon their young and let them fend for themselves, it could easily apply to before they had even  _ hatched _ .

“They’re a good size now, too. I hate to say it, bug, but I think they’ll want to come out soon.”

The chains gave him enough reach to run his claws absently over his own abdomen. 

Once back in his room, he was able to do no more than lay on his bed and continue the ministrations.  _ Soon _ . It would be soon, and he didn’t know how to feel. Knowing only that he was dreading it. Even aboard the Massive, with his mate at his side to give him strength, he would still dread it. 

The next few days were uneventful. Suspiciously so. Skragg did not come to annoy him, Apple did not come for more tests- he was left in the dimly lit room, in solitude and silence. It made him feel worse, being unable to focus on anything else. The body he inhabited felt like an enemy, infected with something awful that was promising him worse things to come, and he could barely even raise from his bed in an effort to escape it. 

Purple was on his mind. He wondered how his co-ruler was fairing, knowing that he was likely tearing entire planets apart for the tiniest lead. Apple had passed on the news days before that the Armada had suddenly amped up its aggression and entire fleets of enemy ships were being wiped out by Irken crafts in unfamiliar territory, but she gave no more information when he requested it- much to his anger. 

It was flattering to know that his absence had sent the Empire into a fury. Even if it was expected.

He was forced to drop that happy thought as his body began to hurt, his claws tore at the mattress as he pushed himself up, aiming to move somewhere-  _ anywhere _ else, do  _ anything _ . He growled in pain, making it to the edge of the bed but as he tried to stand his body refused the effort and he collapsed onto the tiled floor.

\--

“Get the doctor.”

Serpentine eyes refused to break the stare of crimson ones. Skragg stood, frozen in place, watching Red as though he expected him to attack.

Which was almost a certainty.

The guard broke into a jog as he left his bosses side, the sudden movement making the Irkens claws twitch in response. Ready to slash. Though his glare didn’t leave Skraggs form, he was prepared to sink his talons into anything that came too close to his spot on the floor. The faded, silken robe he wore was not enough and he felt even more exposed than before, vulnerable to anything that might attack him; or attack  _ them _ . He felt primal, a savageness in his mind that he hadn’t experienced outside near-death fights, that had him clenching his teeth behind the muzzle and straining against his chains hard enough to draw blood. Muscles ached, his breath was short, and his anger risked falling into panic.

It was Apples arrival that calmed him, if only slightly. She didn’t even acknowledge Skragg and instead approached Red confidently, pausing only as his eyes narrowed and a low, primal grow began to emit from his chest.

Her gaze went to the treasure he coveted, guarding it so fiercely, and she approached again.

And a thick, metal rod thrust towards him. 

The tip sported a circular shape which connected with his neck before he’d even registered the weapon. Being so focused on the small, furry critter moving closer he’d completely forsaken the guard sneaking up on him until the vice hit him, thrusting him back against the wall by the hold on his neck.

He fought as hard as he could manage. Claws dragged along the metal rod with a terrible grating sound, leaving only to slash at the guard holding the weapon, too far from his reach to connect. A flurry of movement surrounded him, he managed a few slashes- hitting skin here, parting flesh there, claws bouncing off armor and dragging through at least one eye- but it was not enough to obtain freedom and he was pinned flat to the ground, weight on his Pak, his shoulders and anywhere else that would prevent him from thrashing.

“Two.” He heard Apples voice, he was allowed only a small range of movement, and could see her from the corner of his eye. A hiss erupted from him in response to what she held. Two round, magenta colored eggs, speckled with light pink dots. They had an otherworldly look to them, emitting a faint pink glow from their centre and appearing to be a soft, smooth texture. 

“What? I thought I counted three?” 

“Two.” She repeated sternly. Skragg approached with his hands outstretched, tenderly prodding the two treasures in front.

The triumphant cheer bellowing from Skraggs throat made antenna flick back- and it was followed by a cacophony from the guards. They were  _ excited. _

Red scowled.

They were  _ ecstatic. _ They’d stolen from his body and they were  _ proud _ of it.

Apple did not share their cheers as the eggs were taken. Abruptly the weight left Reds body and the noise began to recede. They were leaving, prize in hand. He could do no more than lay in place on the floor, defeated and fuming with anger.

When a paw touched his shoulder he flinched, rumble emitting from his chest as he turned to fix the assailant with a murderous glare- which faded suddenly as he registered what was ahead.

A single, magenta egg, glowing faintly in the fluffy hands of the small alien.

“The ship’s only a day from Angaradon, host of the biggest black market event in the galaxy.”

His gaze didn’t leave the egg as she moved it from him, tucking it safely into the front of her thick jacket. Claws stretched outwards in longing- that was  _ his _ . He  _ made _ that. That was…

“You won’t see me again after today.”

Looking around for any prying eyes, her hands were quick to undo the muzzle he wore. It dropped to the ground with a loud clunk, but neither of them acknowledged it. He watched in surprise as she produced a tablet from her pocket, antenna perked upright. Who was leaving? Was  _ he _ destined to go at Angaradon, or would she be disembarking? What was her plan now? And  _ what _ made her think she could leave with what belonged to him.

The tablet was thrust into his limp claws, and they barely closed around it as more questions distracted his mind. The urge to slash at her jacket gripped him for a moment- he could take it back. But what would that achieve? What would he do next?

“Give me a way to contact your ships, a way that  _ won’t  _ get me blown up. I’ve made some arrangements.”

_ Contact Irk? _

“If you can give me a way to call them, I can get this egg to your mate.”

His claws tightened. Give it to Purple? In any other situation he wouldn’t  _ trust _ his negligent co-ruler near something so fragile, knowing his track record for anything that required tenderness or attention, but… There was no other option. The screen clacked as his fingers typed rapidly against it, amassing the right words to give her the clearance she needed.

A part of him doubted this, wondering if it were a trap- if he were giving a stranger a direct path to his partner. A stranger he wasn’t  _ hugely _ fond of, either. But…

“This is the ID of the ship to contact, this code will make any Irken ship stand down if they target you- this code will get the attention of the right soldiers.” He pointed at each in question, his claw hovering over the final part of information. “This is… It’s my co-rulers name. His  _ real _ one. No one calls us by our names- use that, and you’ll have his attention.”

She accepted the tablet with a nod, and said no more as she departed.

The door closed abruptly behind her. 

The auto lights faded to a dim glow, leaving Red in near-darkness. He laid on the chilly, metal tiles of the floor, so cold that it made his skin prickle, his body shiver. Claws crossed his chest, hugging his body as he clenched his teeth. 

_ What happens next? _


	4. Goods exchange

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lordy I forgot to upload this chapter please dont kill me

He had never felt as imprisoned as he did in this moment. The aftermath of  _ whatever _ it was they’d used to drug him was still rampant in his system, leaving him groggy and sluggish- Both he and his captors were well aware that tranquilisers were the only option for handling him. Once again he sported a heavy muzzle, and once again his claws were bound in metal cuffs, chains extended from each to the other, and fixed to the walls. Every movement caused them to rattle, and in the tight space it echoed so loudly that his antenna hurt- If he were capable of moving his arms apart more than centimeters, his hands would reach the walls of the tiny cell before he stretched his arms to their full length.

No, cell was not the right word- Though small, plunged in darkness and bearing  _ so _ many chains- truly an excessive amount, he thought, they used less on the beasts in Irken arenas- this was no cell. Feeling blindly in the darkness he had learned that  _ one _ wall was distinctly different from the rest, it was smooth and cool. There were sounds coming from the other side. His antenna perked and paid close attention, listening for vibrations and noise through the wall- it was  _ quite  _ the commotion out there. 

Apple had called this a  _ black market planet _ . He’d never been to an illegal deal quite as large as a planet, but had visited many smaller ones in his time as a soldier. One was often caught without the necessary weapons, tech, or information required for a mission, and it was quicker to find the nearest dark alley and barter or  _ demand  _ what was needed than wait for any aid from the Empire. 

He’d started  _ plenty  _ of fights over dodgy deals. 

Few of the larger establishments were willing to tolerate Irkens. Red had been the perfect example of why; they were prone to taking what they wanted, and would shoot anyone who tried to stop them. In situations where everyone present was equally as trigger happy it… Never boded well. Often the only thing to survive the carnage and destruction, emerging from burning ruins and from beneath corpses, was the ever-resistant Irken soldier who’d started it all.

Thanks to that entertainment, Red had only been able to attend the smaller gatherings. Little back-street bazaars and dark camps, covered with dust, blood, and other substances not to be questioned. People were quiet and kept to their own business, never willing to share their secret reasons for why they needed something with that many points, or a rate of fire so high. 

From what his senses could make of  _ this _ , however, it seemed it was a much larger event and there was chatter and noise in constant. He couldn’t make sense of any of it, only able to hear the frequencies- and the more he strained to listen the more he grew frustrated at his ignorance.

He busied himself instead with his outfit, an attempt at distracting himself from the muted cacophony on the other side of the wall. At some stage in his blackout someone had  _ rudely  _ attempted to get him back into his uniform, though it had been a half-assed effort and that was clear. A seam ran through the middle of his gauntlets where several small latches sealed the armor in place, but they had simply been crammed closed and the seam was still open a few millimetres. He was quick to rectify it before moving to his corset; the rings around his waist in their usual places, but not tightened to their bone-crushing strength. It was a slow and delicate task to fasten them, proving to be even more difficult with hands bound so closely, but with a lot of patience- and determination- he managed to get his outfit to its usual standard. 

A familiar rumble emitted from the smooth wall and his antenna perked to identify it. He knew that voice- It belonged to a lumbering, foul beast whom he deeply desired to gut with his own claws. Skragg.

The other noises went quiet abruptly, and Skraggs voice dominated. He spoke for a long time; his words no more than indecipherable noises to Red, and every pause was followed by a quiet sound. A murmur of a crowd, Red assumed. It repeated several times, Skraag would speak and the crowd would fall silent- then Skraag would stop, and there was noise again. 

Red was growing frustrated again. He was not a patient creature, and he did  _ not _ like being left in the dark- both figuratively and literally- being ignorant annoyed him.

But he could do no more than stand and listen, antenna standing upright to detect any hint of change, anything that gave him an idea of what was going on. He  _ needed  _ to know where he was and what he might be facing.

And his need was met as the smooth wall suddenly lightened. Blindingly so, his eyes accustomed to the darkness he’d been trapped in. Blinking to clear the spangles in his vision he finally had the chance to  _ look  _ at the spectacle ahead, and found many eyes staring back at him.

_ He  _ was the spectacle.

There was a crowd ahead. An eclectic mix of races populated the area, different colors and textures of skins breaking up any repetition. There were fins and tails and claws, wings and horns, feathers- a dizzying array of creatures hailing from Irk knows where. They all dressed as differently as their heritages, some swaddled in fine, flowing robes with delicate accents. Others barely clothed or wearing random  _ bits _ of things, balanced precariously or merely slapped where they stayed.

On a raised platform, podium ahead of him to give him  _ some _ sense of superiority, Skraag watched eagerly. As Red eyes caught sight of the fiend, they narrowed to a fiery glare.

Adding to his rapidly building outrage Red realised that the sound was still coming through muffled. Though the veil had lifted to reveal his surroundings, he was still entirely  _ deaf  _ to the onlookers, and more importantly- to Skragg, who was blabbering away wildly and gesturing. The stubby claws moved with every word, stretching in exaggeration and pawing through the air, occasionally making quick, swiping movements, and every now and again, they pointed- in  _ Reds _ direction. 

Skragg stretched out an arm, gesturing pointedly at the bandages binding the limb and Red chuckled in satisfaction. Yeah, that was  _ his _ handiwork, alright. He had delighted in tearing that fools tendons free, even if he  _ knew _ that the damage was easily repaired with the extensive medical resources at Skraggs command.

His smug sense of satisfaction left him abruptly as he followed the claws to their next topic; in front of him on the podium, clasped in a decorative little stand, glowed a bright, magenta-colored egg. 

It took all his strength not to resort to feral lashings and fight against his shackles. As much as he  _ wanted _ to go savage and tear the chains from the wall with brute strength, charge to Skraag and force the same chains down the fools fat gullet- he knew he would do no more than make a fool of himself. So instead he smoldered,  _ hoping _ for his psychic powers to suddenly manifest and make Skraags fat head explode in a mess of gore.

But of course, it never happened. 

After what seemed like an eternity the beast at the podium finally paused to take in air, allowing the people beneath a chance to murmur among themselves. They approached Red cautiously, trying to get a better look at the bound anomaly before them. They were  _ right  _ to be hesitant, he thought, and he was trying to memorise any features of the races that came too close. Once he was aboard the Massive again, he would delight in wiping them from the galaxy.

His cataloguing was interrupted by a peculiar sight. One particularly brave- or stupid- alien approached with confidence. While the others chose to stay several feet away in a cautious ring,  _ this _ creature strode right up to the glass. It was of feline build, a long, manicured mane of golden fur bordering the snub face. The clothes were neat and fancy. Hands clasped behind his back, chin high, it regarded Red coldly; looking him up and down again without any  _ twinge _ of hesitation.

_ The arrogance _ . Though limited to cold glares, Red  _ promised  _ he would make this alien fear him the way he ought to be feared. 

Clearly, the promise was not heard, as the alien turned on its heels abruptly and strode away.

Skraags voice bellowed again, the rumble making Reds antenna twitch in response, and the glass wall went dark once more.

\--

The change to the Irken armada had been noticeable to all, but it was the crew of The Massive who bore the brunt of it. Irken ships had gone on a furious assault, spurred on by the loss of- and chance at recovering- their Tallest they tore through enemy ships and settlements alike, chasing every possible lead, every whisper, every shadow that might lead them to him. 

The Massive felt different to all those stationed there, one thing above all others being the cause- Purple. A side to him had come forward from the loss of his mate, one none of his crew had ever seen before, his voice shouted the orders that Reds usually would, *he* demanded progress reports, instructed ships, oversaw assaults, and he stood alone at his post in the Massives control room. 

Those who brushed Purple off as the ‘lesser’ Tallest were quick to change their mind once he devoted himself to finding his mate again, and the universe was learning his fury at losing Red.

At least, until, one message cut through the darkness of space and the numerous explosions before The Massive- a message that carried with it Irken code from an unusual source, and a message that caught even The Tallests attention. It came from a dinky little silver craft that putted through space, woefully unarmed and outnumbered by the Irken armada- horribly dwarfed by their flagship. A single stray shot would have been all it took to obliterate the tiny tin can into space dust and yet, for the first time in a long time, Irken guns went cold and the ship was allowed to approach.

Purple paced along the hanger bay. A lead had finally produced itself after such a long time searching, torturing and destroying and yet brought with it no enlightenment other than the fact that someone had gotten Irken code and knowledge of his own name. It wasn’t Red. He told himself that- over and over, not to get his hopes up when this inevitably turned out to be a waste of time or a trap. He wasn’t going to let himself be optimistic, it wouldn’t be that easy- not when Irks enemies could be involved. In their reign alone they’d pissed off  _ many _ aliens.

Seeing the ship approach he straightened, convincing his fidgeting self to stand idle, to not give any information away. Pink light encased the metal craft as it passed through the forcefield at the mouth of the hanger, the sound of its archaic engines deafening, amplified by the walls of the hanger, barely quieting as it landed and then whirring to a stop.

The ship's door opened, one creature stepped onto Irken floors.

It wasn’t Red.

“So, you’re Vorial?” She asked. And every Irken in earshot tensed; Purple included.    
“I’m the  _ Tallest _ .” He corrected, he’d excuse this  _ once _ because she’s an alien, and because killing her now might snuff out his potential leads, but it was a great crime to call a Tallest by their name. At least, while they were still alive. “Wanna explain all of… Everything?”

“I met your mate.” The small, furred alien responded casually, shifting her weight from one hip to the other. Purples ‘scary’ composure dropped immediately, his eyes wide and antenna flicking upwards. Even the guards at his side turned to pay the newcomer attention. 

“You met Red?! Where!”

“It’s a long story, but before we get started” One hand dove into the collar of her heavy coat, the guards all reactively went for the handles of their weapons, if this was her surprise attack then she should have planned better.

Until she produced a single oddity from the fluffy collar, one that had the guards stand stiff and unsure and had Purple raise a brow in question. A round, magenta coloured orb emitting a soft glow. 

“What’s *that?*” He asked indignantly, one thin claw pointed at the *thing* in question and stopping short of touching, for fear it might burst or bite or something horrible.

Apple rolled her glossy eyes and made a noise as though this was the biggest inconvenience of all time, and the most obvious bit of information that everyone ought to know. “You’re as bad as he is, you know? Have you lot really never seen an Irken egg before?”

“An egg?!” Purples voice hit a pitch higher than he knew it could, his hand recoiling as though its mere proximity might shatter the egg into tiny glass pieces. Apple nodded and approached- he stepped back as she did. Eggs don’t exist, they’re a forgotten relic of past Irkens, engineered out by decades of science and determination. And suddenly a horrible feeling gripped him, one that had him asking the question “Where did you get this…?”   
“From your mate.” The same casual tone remained, and it stung him like the prick of a needle- the thought had dawned on him mere seconds ago and it already seemed as though he’d felt a lifetime dreading the answer. “I don’t know anything about Irken eggs. I don’t know how they work, what environment they need, anything like that, but I managed to smuggle this one and it’s  _ your  _ problem now-”   
Any other time, any other situation and he would have put a Pak leg through her for daring to get so close to his person, but he watched in stunned silence as she padded to stand inches from him and take one of his hands in hers. As she reached to place the egg in his claws, he was tempted to rip them away and deny it- unsure if he’d ever want the thing, unsure of how to feel about it, but.. Knowing it was tied to Red, he allowed it to be dropped in his open palm. It was soft to touch, deceptively so- he was certain he could put a claw through its thin surface if he applied even the slightest pressure.

“-and in return you’re going to take me  _ safely _ to where I want to be. Got it? Now- Let’s get into the details.


End file.
